The John J. McKenna Undergraduate Scholarship
in Creative Nonfiction
The John J. McKenna Undergraduate Scholarship in Creative Nonfiction is a scholarship for a student of creative nonfiction for the academic year, 2018-19. It includes up to 12 hours of tuition in both fall and spring semesters, fees, and a book stipend of $350. Awards for Runner-Up ($3000) and Honorable Mention ($1500) will also be given to assist with educational costs.
The Scholarship is named in honor of Professor John J. McKenna, a celebrated teacher, writer, and scholar of nonfiction writing who dedicated more than forty years of teaching and service to the University. His legacy is commemorated by former student and benefactor Yvette Kinney, who has generously established this Scholarship in support of students devoted to the study and craft of creative nonfiction.
Eligibility: Undergraduate students seeking a major in English, certification in English or Language Arts in the College of Education, or Writers Workshop students are all eligible to apply. Applicants must have completed 27 hours of college credit by the start of the academic year covered under the scholarship (fall semester, 2018). Students enrolled for only one semester during the academic year covered under the scholarship (2018-19) will receive tuition reimbursement and fees covering only that one semester, half of any award money, and half of the book stipend ($125). Previous scholarship winners and applicants may apply again in subsequent years. Faculty may also initiate applications on their students’ behalf.
Application Process: To apply, applicants must (1) Log into MavLINK. (2) Under the Financial Aid tab, click Financial Aid Home. (3) Click on Apply for 2018-19 Scholarships on the right side of the page. (4) Log into the UNO Scholarship portal using your UNO NetID and password. (5) Complete the General Application. (6) Check the Opportunities tab for recommended scholarships you may be eligible to apply for. This is where you will find the application for the John J. McKenna undergraduate scholarship. To complete the application process, applicants will submit (1) all UNO college transcripts, which can be official or unofficial; (2) a letter of interest describing the applicant’s interest in creative nonfiction writing and how the scholarship will help them achieve their goals; and (3) a creative nonfiction writing sample (personal essay, memoir, travel essay, etc.) with a maximum limit of 5000 words. We strongly suggest applicants meet with their mentors to select their best work for submission. Materials should be attached as Word documents or as PDFs. The deadline for receipt of application materials is Monday, February 26, 2018.
Review and Award Process: The review committee will consist of English Dept. Creative Nonfiction faculty, who will select finalists. An outside judge with a national reputation in creative nonfiction writing will determine the final awards. The recipient of the McKenna Scholarship and the Runner-up and Honorable Mention recipients are expected to attend the English Department Honoring Ceremony on Thursday, April 26, 2018, where they will be recognized.
This Year’s Judge: MICHELE MORANO
Michele Morano is the author of the travel memoir, Grammar Lessons: Translating a Life in Spain. Her work appears in many literary journals, including most recently Ninth Letter, Brevity, and The Normal School, and in anthologies such as Best American Essays and WaveForm: Twenty-First Century Essays by Women. Her work has been honored by the Rona Jaffe Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, the MacDowell Colony, and the American Association of University Women. She is on the creative writing faculty at DePaul University in Chicago.